Tenant Teamwork Is Best

September 30, 1985|By green

Too many of the nearly 2,000 public housing complexes across the nation are eyesores rampant with crime, vandalism, drug abuse and a spirit of hopelessness among residents. But something different has been happening in the Orlando area.

Through efficient management and an attentive ear to tenant concerns, the Orlando Housing Authority has become a model for local public housing agencies nationwide as well as for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which doles out $4 billion annually for 1.3 million housing units.

What has made the biggest difference in Orlando is that the tenants themselves are encouraged to play a strong role in running the project. They participate in eight tenant associations -- forums for airing grievances and concerns and quick reporting of maintenance problems.

As a result, scrawled walls, paneless windows and screenless doors -- a common sight in many housing projects -- are practically non-existent. This year the authority has spent less than $300 for vandalism repairs. What's more, for the past 14 years less than one half of 1 percent of rents were uncollected. Evictions are rare as well.

So it's no wonder that two weeks ago HUD awarded the authority a $2.2 million grant to build a 50-unit complex of sorely needed three- and four- bedroom units. At present, there are 1,746 project housing units at 14 locations in the city and Orange County.

The authority also has won Florida's energy conservation award for public housing. The honor cited the authority for improving insulation at six housing projects and for hiring unemployed tenants to make the improvements.

As Orlando continues to grow, a need for more low-cost housing will be inevitable. It's good to know that a sound, efficiently run administrative system already is in place to meet the challenge.